I just got some bloodwork results back from a yearly physical and my doctor told me my liver enzymes were up alot higher than the normal baseline and I’m a bit concerned. For those of you in-the-know, my AST was 104 (baseline 2-50) and my ALT was 64 (baseline 2-60). My bloodwork from last year’s physical had an AST of 27 and an ALT of 34. Since I had this done last year, my life has changed considerably for the better. I’ve started working out, eating clean and of course reading T-Mag. So I would think that I should be alot healthier than I was at my last physical.
Anyways, my Doc asked me to come and give more blood today to screen for Hepatitis and Psoriasis(sp?) and I have an appointment for an ultra-sound to check for cysts or masses on my liver. I did some reading on the internet and have found that elevated liver enzymes can be symptomatic of Hepatitis, Psoriasis, Gall Stones or LIVER CANCER!!! Obviously this has me pretty freaked out. I’m 30 years old, very healthy, intense work outs 3 days a week, eat clean, drink alcohol once every one or two weeks, supp with Protein and have no cancer in my family history.
I just wanted to put this out here to see if anyone has had similar experiences or if any of the people in the medical field could pass along any more insight. Thanks for any comments.
Well, regular, heavy resistance training can give elevated liver enzyme readings.
In fact, there was a study done (I can’t recall where I saw it) where results of some steroid user were give to a whole bunch of docs for their review. I think over half got it wrong and chalked it up to a liver problem when it was actually just the exercise that caused the elevated readings.
Sorry for being so vague and unable to back it up! Hope it makes you feel a little better though, if I find the source I’ll let you know.
Well I certainly hope that’s the case. My doc knows about my workout program and I mentioned how I heard that excess protein consumption could affect the liver but he didn’t have too much to say about it. I’m hoping this next set of blood tests will come back with everything in order and I can forget about this stuff.
I had a similar problem.
Last year I was donating blood plasma for cash every week, but was told I couldnt because of elevated liver enzymes. I was banned for life and they told me this could be due to Hepatitis. Needless to say, like you I was freaked out.
I lived a pretty clean life. At the time I was taking an ECA stack and doing a keto diet and while by no means am I an expert. I attributed it to that from the research I did.
Anyway, I got my blood work back last week and they said I was fine. No elevated enzymes, no hepatitis (no HIV either)so I was happy. I hope this is how it turns out for you too. I bet it’s a similar thing
I just thought I’d share that sometimes this liver enzyme thing isnt really a big deal.
I also started the Hep A&B Vaccines just to make sure I dont have to sweat those again and so I can visit 3rd world countries.
I wouldnt worry about it until I get bad news and then go from there but like I said, most likely you are fine.
Cy referenced that study in his “Steroids for Health 2003” article, here’s an excerpt:
One study addressed the fact that aminotransferase levels can rise when muscle tissue is damaged (exercise accomplishes this) and thus give a false indicator that the person is experiencing hepatoxicity. (4) Another study essentially demonstrated how widespread the lack of information is in terms of physicians differentiating hepatotoxicity from muscle damage induced from exercise. Here’s the abstract:
The use of anabolic steroids among competitive athletes, particularly bodybuilders, is widespread. Numerous reports have noted “hepatic” dysfunction secondary to anabolic steroid use based on elevated serum aminotransferase levels. The authors’ objective was to assess whether primary care physicians accurately distinguish between anabolic steroid-induced hepatotoxicity and serum aminotransferase elevations that are secondary to acute rhabdomyolysis resulting from intense resistance training.
Surveys were sent to physicians listed as practicing family medicine or sports medicine in the yellow pages of seven metropolitan areas. Physicians were asked to provide a differential diagnosis for a 28 year old, anabolic steroid-using male bodybuilder with an abnormal serum chemistry profile. The blood chemistries showed elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and creatine kinase (CK) levels, and normal gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels.
In the physician survey (n = 84 responses), 56% failed to mention muscle damage or muscle disease as a potential diagnosis, despite the markedly elevated CK level of the patient. Sixty-three percent indicated liver disease as their primary diagnosis despite normal GGT levels.
4) Dickerman RD, et al. “Anabolic steroid-induced hepatotoxicity: is it overstated?” Clin J Sport Med 1999 Jan;9(1):34-9
Thanks guys for the info… FFL, I’m hoping that my case turns out like yours. This situation and being that I have several tattoos and plan on getting more, I will be considering the Hep vaccines myself.
Warhorse, that was an intersting article that pretty much backs up FFL’s and hopefully my situation. It’s funny too that when I explained to my doctor about my workouts and diet, the first thing he asked was if I “was using steroids because it could lead to liver disease”. I think it sucks because now, even if my blood tests turn out fine he’s going to always suspect that I’m using gear. Trough my brief discussions with him, I’ve gathered that he’s not one of the “cooler” docs you could ask about growth hormone, Testosterone and the like without getting the evil eye.
On the lighter side, maybe that means that he’s noticed enough change in my body composition that he attributes it to gear instead of plain 'ol hard work…